The Labor enquirer., 1887-07-30
THE TRADES UNIONS SPEAK.

The Union AdvOcate, official organ of the
american Federation of Labor" which now
combines nearly all Of the great national
trades unions and boasts a total membership
Of over half million, has this to say in its is
sue for July:
"We are compelled to differ with our es-
teemed correspondent, Paul Probable, whose
letter we publish in another column. There
is no doubt that the revolt in D. A. 4o, X. of
L., was genuine and the result Of deep
seated dissatisfaction with the manner in
which the business of the district was con-
Quoted.
"In expressing our dissent from our cores
pondent's views, we base it upon the light of
recent events not only in D. A. 4o, but
throughout the whole order.
On every hand those Knights who desire to
live in peace with the trades unions are max
ing their power felt. They are disgusted at
having their well-paid officers loudlylproclaim
that they insist upon arbitration and in the
next breath bordering" strike involving
thousands of workingmen and women and
again bordering" them to return to work un-
der conditions worse than when they left their
employment. Not only in wages, hours of
labor and other conditions, but where in fact
the men are in too many cases compelled to
surrender their manhood by signing away
their right of Organization.
"The well-meaning Knights have looked
on serenely, perhaps hopefully, at the prom
ises Of their leaders that all trades unions
would in time be wiped out of existence and
all covered with the benign shield Of the
order. But the promises have failed to yield
The trades unions are growing stronger every
day. They are gaining advantages not only
for their own members, but for the workers as
whole; while the order is being beaten in
every struggle it undertakes.
"The revolutionists in the order see that
the war made on the trades unions has merely
strengthened them, while it has materially
weakened the attacking party. They see that
there is something more than mere words,
glittering generalities, in the trades unions,
and are utterly tired Of the sophistry and
humbuggery Of their leaders, and have made
an effort to end it. We should not discour-
age this feeling of discomfort with the present
management of the off GERS of the K. OF L.,
but rather assist it.
We have always maintained that the rank
and file Of the order were we'll meaning and
accepted too credulously the attacks upon the
trades unions as truth, and all that was neces-
sary was for time to demonstrate the fallacy of
their position and it would be rectihed, if it is
possible to rectify the wrongs done. To do
this, however, the revolt against the ''powers
that be" in the order must become universal
before it can accomplish any good or lasting
result. Therefore, in view OF the enormity Of
the work to be accomplished, if we were
asked whether the honest Knights will be
successful in this contest we would frankly
say that we have our misgivings-nay,
strong disbelief that they will. We know the
men with whom they have to deal These
men are alert, unscrupulous and possess an
aptitude for the ways that are dark and an
abnormally developed desire to rule, and,
failing in that, will ruin; while the homes:
and well-meaning men attend their ordinary
business and are unway Of the ways of the
schemers.
1--WE say that, while we hail the present
movement of the true Knights with JOY as
an evidence Of what the ultimate result will
be, it is certainly our conviction that for the
present, at least, the anti-trades unionists will
rule the order, probably too long for the
orders good"